Catch phrases (Falling Upward)
"Discharging your loyal soldier" was a catch phrase that the Japanese used to try and ease their WWII soldiers back into society. "the community needs you to return as a man, a citizen, and something beyond a soldier." "This kind of closure is much needed for most of us at the end of all major transitions in life. Because we have lost any sense of the need for such rites of passage, most people have no clear crossover to the second half of their own lives."
"The voice of our loyal soldier gets us through the first half of life safely."
"Paradoxically, your loyal soldier gives you so much security and validation that you may confuse his voice with the very voice of God. If this inner and critical voice has kept you safe for many years as your inner voice of authority you may end up not being able to hear the real voice of God."
"the loyal soldier is the voice of all your early authority figures. His or her ability to offer shame, guilt, warnings, boundaries and self-doubt is the gift that never stops giving. Remember, it can be a feminine voice too; but it is not the 'still, small voice of God (1Kings 19:13) that gives us our power instead of always taking our power."
Whew............gotta stop for a while.........I highlighted these phrases last night and thought about them on my walk today. I forgave some people today because of these phrases of insight. Maybe those people I keep blaming for keeping me from my ministry, simply are guilty of expecting me to listen to their 'voices of boundaries? I fight their coercion because I am in the stage of life that, requires me to listen to the voice of God instead? I think....I can appreciate their concern, because it probably is genuine.
posted by Karen @ 4:18 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Genuine? Seriously?
Crippling our parish by a power struggle to gain control of every aspect of our church under the false security of "staff; is anything but genuine concern for our welfare. It seems to be more a matter of self preservation and job security.
Too little too late! When the parishes were closing right and left did our own bishop act with genuine concern for us? Now the latest effort from Toledo is "A Wake up Call" as the bishop so aptly stated at his Confirmation. sermon in an effort to reach out to non active Catholics. Is it a matter of reaching lost souls or is it a matter of reaching into our pockets for lost funds?
Genuine? Seriously. I was referring to our local staff.I think that they have spent most of their lives running the institution,which requires a good deal of boundaries. Are they in touch with the second part of their lives? I cannot say. But I can say that I believe that they could get help sheperding 'first part of life' parishioners from others in the parish.There are many 'elders' in the parish who are taken for granted. The elders are 'allowed' to give money in the collection and donate their time at festivals etc., but to use their vast 'second part of life' as a resource to help others spirtually is woefully ignored. But, not to worry, some of the elders are starting to 'freelance' and offer their services to individuals in need. Genuinely....and seriously....
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